Superhero Casting Calls: Batman V Superman

This post will mostly follow the same path as the last post I did on the casting of Ben Affleck as Batman (here) but will feature all the new castings and what I think of them from a comic book point of view and a big film nerd. First I’d like to look at both sides of the coin…and then go ballistic at the end. First we’ll see who’s been officially cast and why they may be good in the role, I’ll include arguments from around the web and plenty of MEME’S. Then lastly I will discuss the problems I see and other angry nerds have voiced around the world. Fun times ahead.

If you like the post then I may do more casting reactions or something similar again. Please enjoy and I look forward to some interesting comments.

Only roles that have been officially cast in the film. So none of the rumours running round. Although if you want my opinions on that then just ask in the comments.

Jesse Eisenberg As Lex Luthor

The Argument for:

Jesse Eisenberg is an Oscar nominated actor. He does have talent and talent never hurts when you’re casting a role. If they are going for a younger Lex Luther with a more modern billion dollar company then I think he fits the role, and don’t forget he is a similar age to Henry Cavill so as superman’s opposite and nemesis it works quite well.

The Argument Against:

He tends to be the exact same character in everything he plays. Seriously I cannot think of a role where he played a different character than him essentially. I know he won’t shave his head and that will irritate me to no end. Zack Synder and Henry Cavill should haze him by shaving his head when he’s sleeping in his onset trailer.

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Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman

The Argument for:

She is pretty unknown in terms of roles we’ve seen but I haven’t really hated anything she’s done. So yeah we’ll keep our minds open to the idea. I highly doubt the studio would hire someone who didn’t do a good audition. This film is way too important to Warner Bros. and she’s not remotely famous enough to just be a fame hire. Also her appearance or size or proportions really shouldn’t matter for this role. You can bulk up look at Henry Cavil in Man of Steel vs him in Immortals. I always think when I hear people make these comments that Wonder Woman would actually beat them up.

The Argument Against:

In the last fast and furious film she was very skinny, but she can bulk up in the time she has before her parts are fully filmed. She has very little acting experience. What I have seen doesn’t really impressive me. There are some films between now and when this film comes out and I will be keeping an eye out for her.

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Jason Momoa as Aquaman

The Argument for:

This casting has confused some but to me it’s the best casting I have seen for this film. This won’t be the classic Aquaman that has been teased with and ridiculed in recent pop culture. No this will be the new revamped badass Aquaman from the new 52 comics. Seriously he will kick ass and Momoa can play badass ruler, we’ve seen it in Game of Thrones, he’s still a fan favourite. Just trident some in the face. IN THE FACE!!!

The Argument Against:

I really hope this is a small part. Am talking tiny cameo in an after credit scene. Other than that I don’t have much of any complaints. Do great Jason.

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In the end though if we really think about the film it’s the casting that doesn’t matter all that much. I can’t think of a film ruined by bad casting. Bad script, terrible direction, studio interference they’ll ruin a film. There is way too much talent on screen and behind the screen to have this be an epic calamity, not to say it couldn’t but I think it will be great.

26 responses to “Superhero Casting Calls: Batman V Superman”

I remembered this post of yours (as well as your arguments for and against Affleck’s casting) just now after stumbling across several recent similar articles trying to list all the various reasons why Batman v Superman might soar or suck. I think I will write my own article given how the wait for this movie is starting to shape like a betting match between fans, haters, and everyone indifferent. Everyone’s gonna be laying done money on whether the film will kick ass, suck, or be divisive like Man of Steel.

I’m going with divisive, averaging out to a middle-of-the-road film :P How much you got on the outcome, Tim? :D

All things considered and all kidding aside though, I DO want this film to be good. A movie with both Batman and Superman in it should be awesome, for the good of mankind… ;)

Oh am sure it will be devisive. Zach Snyder is a very devisive director. It’s a part of why I like him and his style.

I really want this to be good. Super excited to see it. My bet is it’ll be good. My reason is that Zach Snyder’s weaknesses revolve mainly around character development. With the argo writer now penning the script, I have very few doubts.

Snyder if nothing else has an unparrelled eye for detail and visual adaptation.

Looking forward to the post man. I’d have talked more but am just on holiday at the min. Thinking of doing a debate post on directors. Might start with Zach Snyder because it would start a convo without doubt.

Great little discussion Tim, my apologies for stopping by so late!!! I’m all over the place right now.

The Jason Mamoa casting part is interesting to say the least, and where that character will ultimately fit in to the story will be very very curious.

You really don’t think Eisenberg will shave his head for the part? My suspicions is he will go all-in for this role; I think he’s aware this is the brightest the spotlight has ever been for him and hopefully he’ll rise to the occasion. I do have fears about him still being too typecast as essentially himself, though. Dawn of Justice is for sure going to be something to watch out for in the next several months. Wowie.

Superman will never fight batman with any of his real strength. It won’t be another Zod battle because he knows Batman is just a normal man. Batman will use this hesitation to his advantage. Still not going to beat him but it will at least be a fight of sorts :D

Got to disagree with you, Tim. This could turn out to be an epic calamity indeed. In order to set up a franchise to rival the Marvel Cinematic Universe, all they need to do is make a really solid film about Batman fighting Superman. That’s it. Adding all these other characters is putting the cart before the horse. The MCU grew confidently and organically. WB is forcing it. I don’t even understand the strategy. Justice League is coming right after BvS. Can’t WB wait a just little while before unloading every DC character ever created?

You must understand that I am rooting for these movies. I prefer the DC characters by a mile, and I prefer the darker, weightier tone being adopted by WB. And we could have two separate superhero universes coexisting at once! But I hear rumors about Lex being a Mark Zuckerberg-like figure, and I don’t dismiss them out of hand. It would be antithetical to the character, yet it seems plausible.

I am not condemning the films before I have seen them. I loved MOS. I love the new look of Batman’s suit, and I can’t wait to finally see an older, more grizzled version of the character on film. But all franchise-building starts simply: with one or two really good movies.

Oh it could collapse in on itself but it would take something especially bad to do so. Also I will eat my own shoe if Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Cyborb and Let’s say Shazam have a combined screen time of more than 8 minutes.

Other than that I totally agree. I want it to succeed and we just have to keep our minds open. Haha and our figures crossed :D

I’m getting a bit worried that this could turn into a bit of a wreck. I see what they’re doing (using the film to launch new franchises and bolster others), but I’m very uncertain Snyder has the chops to carry this off.

Well lets not jump to conclusions. We know very little about the film. We have a vague concept from Zack Snyder. We know some of the cast. As an educated guess I will say that very few of the extra superhero casting will make anything more than a 20 seconds cameo in the Batman V Superman, maybe alter ego drop ins or end credit scene moments.

I dunno, I’ve seen Jesse Eisenberg in ‘Adventureland’ and Zombieland, acting as a pretty generic “lovable loser” archetype, but then I was mightily impressed by his turn as the tyrannical, uber-ambitious Zuckerburg in David Fincher’s ‘The Social Network.’ I think he can pull off the villain just fine, and he’s clearly got a good acting range from what I’ve seen

The casting choice that makes no sense to me is Gadot as Wonder Woman. She was uninspired and boring in the FF series (like most of those characters), and she looks like a freaking twig. Seriously, she needs to add some serious bulk (muscle AND fat) if she wants to pull off the super woman persona and physique and make her character convincing. I highly doubt she can make the physical transformation needed a la Christian Bale in time for the film.

Wonder Woman is curvaceous and muscular, and she can kick your ass! A perfect choice for her IMO would’ve been former MMA star turned actress, Gina Carano, not a slim, ditsy-looking model. I’m just continue the hating and the doubting on this choice until she proves me wrong.

To me, physicality takes a backseat. I point to Nicholson’s Joker. If the performance is there, if the actor has the right attitude, if the character rings true on the screenplay page, it doesn’t matter if the actor isn’t the figure from the source. For example, Eisenberg is a weird choice to play Lex, and I’m not picturing him in the role, but he’s such a terrific actor that I have faith.

I am not familiar with Gadot’s work, and I have never seen a single FF movie (though I suspect none of the actors looked very good coming out of that franchise). I just think there are far worse problems looming over this than Wonder Woman looking too thin.

Well, if she acts ass off, then yes I will concede that point, but if she can’t walk the walk than her lack physicality will be yet another thing holding her back. Furthermore, this is a superhero film — you have to look the part as well as act it. Eisenberg gets more faith than me because he’s proved his acting worth in other films before this. I can’t say the same for Gadot, so that’s why this seems like a miscast from me, at least for right now.

yeah, I’m kinda shaky on the whole prospect too. i’m a not a huge fan of the original MoS and it was a pretty divisive movie in general. seems to me DC is just trying to play catchup with Marvel and its “shared cinematic universe.”

I have no doubt that WB is about to make a ton of money, but it won’t approach what Disney/Marvel has accomplished. I prefer that darker DC edge, but most people find the Marvel characters a lot more appealing, and they exist in the real world… places like New York and Los Angeles rather than Metropolis and Gotham. Plus Disney has played it smart, carefully taking the time to set up their universe, character by character, over the course of many years.

I think she can bulk up. They have teams of people who do that for a living. Anyone can do it. Also have you ever seen a MMA star act? They really just can’t. At least Wrestlers act a little but MMA stars don’t have that talent or any charisma at all.

Not saying Gadot will be any better but I believe history says she can probably do it better.

True but Carano’s starred in her own films as the lead and gotten some positive feedback. Also, I disagree that anyone can bulk up that much. People have different body frames and limits to what extent their body mass index can change. Obviously the physical component is only one piece of the pie, but as I responded to Peter B it’s not an insignificant aspect of playing the role of a superhero.